A: On just about any planet or subbiome. Also keep an eye out in space for encounters.

In 6.0, mod support is integrated. So for mod worlds, you will find them on the following planets:
* Most Frackin worlds.
* Starry Planets
* Hellish Planets
* Dark Abyss
* Halloween Worlds
* Supervoid Worlds

A: You may find them on higher tier planets. Those being:
* Alien
* Jungles
* Midnight
* Savannah
* Scorched
* Snow
* Tundra

If you are using Frackin, they can also be found on:
* Unknown
* Strange Sea
* Shadow
* Mountainous (+Dark)
* Eden
* Atropus (+Dark)
* Bog
* Crystalline
* Chromatic
* Red Desert (+Dark)
* Frozen Volcanic
* Tundra Dark
* Snow Dark
* Ice Wastes (+Dark)
* Infernus (+dark)
* Irradiated
* Lightless
* Cyberspheres
* Penumbra
* Proto World
* Slime World
* Rainforest
* Wasteland

Other Mods (Cultist Lairs only)
* Dark Abyss (Extended Story)
* Supervoid (Extended Story)
* Halloween (Extended Story)
* Hellish Planets

A: Probably not. Not worth the effort.

A: It should not be. This one adds its own version of the Cultist Lair, it does not modify the vanilla one.

A: That happens, even in vanilla. Deal with it. Or use /admin if you can't get past it.

A: In short: No. I've done all I can on that front.
As of 6.0, They should not be. I have FINALLY figured out how to gate encounters.

If they are appearing on Lush worlds, there are only a few possibilities...
1. You are using Hardcore. If this is the case... well, it's your own fault. Seriously, it's called "Hardcore" for a reason
2. You are using a mod that modifies the Tier of starting worlds The tier of starting worlds should be 1.0, full stop. If you are using something that modifies this... again, it's your own fault. Get rid of it.
3. Something is wrong. In which case, notify me, and have your log file ready.

A: This is done because of the way you fight them in Episode 0 and Episode 1 as opposed to this mod. In the FFS Episodic missions, you fight them in very flat, enclosed spaces, in mass hordes, with very little shelter and ability to cheese them. This is why Lyetzi made them so weak, that they die if you as so much as fart on them.
Here however, you generally fight them in much smaller groups, in much wider spaces, out in the open, where you have the terrain, mechs, vehicles, the matter manipulator, etc. On your side. Or in space encounters where you have your mech to back you up.
To compensate for this, I have made the DaE versions of the pirates much more capable of killing you. Your reward? Occasionally they drop weapons you can pick up, use, or sell. The EP 0 and Ep 1 versions don't do that.

A: With 6.0 preventing starting world encounters, this is not necessary.

A: They were deleted, as they are now redundant. Mod support for these are now integrated.
The Hardcore patch is still available, as that's a difficulty patch.

A: Grab the Hostility Patch

A: Not on this mod, no. There is already one for the main FFS Mod, so it would be redundant. What mainstream FFS doesn't do is give planetary and space encounters. Which is the whole point of this mod.